Technological and economical challenges of …fileserver.futureocean.org/...manganese_nodule_mining_concept.pdfTechn. & economical challenges of manganese nodule mining Slide 3 Global

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Slide 1

Ecological and sustainable deep-sea mining

Atlas Elektronik

BGR Aker Wirth

EvoLogics

Technological and economical challenges of manganese nodule

mining in the Clarion-Clipperton-Zone

Future Ocean – Seafloor Mineral Resources

March, 19th 2013, Kiel

Technology & Innovation | Aker Wirth GmbH, Erkelenz

Dr. Steffen Knodt: [email protected]

Christian Dornieden: [email protected]

2012 Aker Solutions

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■ Discoveries of higher

grade deposits are

becoming less

frequent (declining

average grades)

■ Depth of open pit

mines at their limits

■ Aker Wirth offers

unique cutting

technologies and

machines for infra-

structure tunnels in

hard rock deposits

■ More underground

mines are producing

copper at a smaller

output capacity

■ Infrastructure

challenges

(remote locations)

Codelco Codelco

T&I | Christian Dornieden | Future Ocean - Kiel | 19.03.2013

Techn. & economical challenges of manganese nodule mining

Slide 2

Open pit mines are facing challenges in the near future

Preferred partner T&I | Christian Dornieden | Future Ocean - Kiel | 19.03.2013


Slide 3

Global distribution of known marine mineral resources

Marine mineral resources as a source for metallic raw

materials with high ratios of important metals

Polymetallic sulphides

Cobald-rich manganese crusts

Polymetallic nodules

ISA


Techn. & economical challenges of manganese nodule mining Slide 4

Manifold types of marine mineral resources

Seafloor Massive

Sulphides

Reference: Nautilus Minerals

1,000 – 3,000 m

Manganese

Nodules

4,000 – 6,000 m

Cobalt-rich Manganese

Crusts

1,000 – 2,500 m

© Nautilus Minerals

water depths

Cu, Zn, Pb, Au Co, Ni Ni, Cu, Co, Mn

© BGR © ISA

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■ Infrastructure expense

no site-specific infrastructure,

moveable mining systems

■ Flexibility

mining ships can move to

different types of deposits /

minerals to suit market conditions

■ Overburden

no overburden to be removed

and lower waste to ore ratio

■ Environmental concerns

minimal carbon footprint and

small environmental impact



Nautilus Kennecot

Benefits of seafloor minerals compared to onshore mines



Slide 6

Germ

an lic

ense terr

itory

area size:

~ 58,000 km²

© ISA

© BGR

water depths:

~ 4,200 m

Basic conditions for sustainable manganese nodule mining

Conveying 2.2 Mio. t manganese

nodules per year allows mining for

approx. 42 years

93 Mio. t of manganese nodules

value of metals > 71 Mia. €

Sustainable, ecological choice of mining areas:

occupancy rate > 10 kg / m²

gradient < 3°

18 % of the eastern German license territory: 10,500 km²

compliance of guidelines for protection of environment

© BGR



Technical challenges of the deep sea – Strategies & Solutions

Water depth &

distance to shore

pressure

compensation

remote operating or

autonomous systems

maintenance free

durable systems

Restrictions in

communication &

visibility

using intelligent

acoustic systems for

positioning,

monitoring,

communication

specially adapted

visualisation software

safety & emergency

zones with stepwise

autonomous

emergency shut down

Effectivity of

operation &

production

exploration systems

for mission planning

standardized control

& automation system

flexible orientation &

module-exchange

monitoring & metering



Strong progress of offshore-technologies since the 70s

technologies of

the 70s

today

40 years later

Lockheed Martin CTC CTC

Vantage Drilling Historic Naval Ships Association

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Ecological

and

sustainable

subsea

mining

■ Expansion of the system

boundaries for offshore

technologies from 3,000

m up to 4,500 m water

depth

■ Demonstrator Subsea Intervention Tool ISUP –

2009

■ Technical concept study for the Federal Institute

for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR)

(administrator of the German licence territory) -

2010

■ Profitability analysis - 2012



BGR

ISA

Performed studies manganese nodule deep sea mining



Slide 10

© Aker Wirth

Manifold offshore-technologies are necessary for deep sea mining

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Minimized environmental impact:

■ crawler chassis minimal impact on the seafloor

■ hauling drums no plowing of the seafloor

■ nodule cleaning at the collector minimal turbidity

■ totally shielded minimal turbidity

■ air-lift technology no oil-leakage



Minimized impacts of the seafloor production system

elevating

mechanism

hauling

drums

flexible joint

to the

buffer

Illustration without shielding

buoyancies

crawler

chassis

Collector dimensions:

■ width 17 m

■ weight 250 t

(100 t under water)



Slide 12

Functionality of the air-lift system

■ air compressor mounted on

topside

■ compressed air is transported from

a separate vertical pipe

■ injecting compressed air

horizontally into the riser pipe

■ reduced phase density, the air-

water mixture above injection level

will adept a flow upwards

■ due to the continuous injection of

compressed air also a flow in the

riser below injection level adapt

■ upward flow of solids, if the fluid

speed in the riser under injection

level is higher as the ‘solid sink

velocity’



Slide 13

Airlift system for ultra deep water subsea mining

Mining Ship

Collectors

Multiple air injection nozzles

Buffer & rotary gate valve

Riser string system

stepwise increased diameter

Connectivity point to any equipment

Armored hoses

6000 m

Main advantages of the airlift

system

wide range of particle size inside

the riser string (theoretically close

to inner passage Ø)

steady flow conditions in riser

string pipe without any valves,

pistons etc.

reducing mechanical systems

subsea

all maintenance demanding

systems staying on the vessel

no wear or blockage in pump

system

highest availability under rough

conditions up to 98%

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Fe 8 %

Co 0,16 % Ni

1,36 %

Cu 1,17 %

Mn 28.8 %

Micronutrients 0.7 %

Mg, Na, Al, Si 18 %

Hydroxide 41.8 %

Challenges of the metallurgical process for manganese nodules

Techn. & economical challenges of manganese nodule mining T&I | Christian Dornieden | Future Ocean - Kiel | 19.03.2013

?

manganese nodules with high

ratios of important metals

processing for Co, Ni, Cu

developed

recovery 89 % - 95 %

processing for strategic metals

(micronutrients) in development

recovery uncertain

no consideration

profitability analysis bases

exclusively on familiar processing

price development and recovery

uncertain for Mn

no consideration ?

Slide 14

© BGR

Co

0.16 % Ni

1.36 %

Cu

1.17 %

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Conservative analysis of all factors in the complete system

based on the Aker Wirth study from 2010

detailing / actualizing in 2012

Techn. & economical challenges of manganese nodule mining T&I | Christian Dornieden | Future Ocean - Kiel | 19.03.2013

Capital / Operational Expenditures

Collector system

Riser string

Mining ship

Transport ship (bulker)

Harbor facility / onshore logistic

Processing

Profitability analysis

Capital & Operational Expenditures

Price estimations for raw materials

Recovery after processing

Chronological development of revenues

actual market situation

scenario analysis 2020-2032

(nominal, worst-case, best-case)

conservative evaluations

high expenditures

low revenues

Slide 15

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Industrial-politic challenges

Technological & economic challenges

Technologies are available, but a system integrator is missing



Expansion of the system boundaries for offshore

technologies from 3,000 m up to 4,500 m water depth

Industrial testing of the mining and conveying system

Proofing environmental safety and sustainability

Developing the processing for strategic metals

Atlas Elektronik

Aker Wirth

Aker Wirth

Absence of a German, globally operating raw materials

conglomerate

To date there is worldwide no MMR system integrator in place

Configuring an international political framework

Creating investment plans for an industrial consortium

Slide 16

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Next steps… Deep sea pilot mining test


T&I | Christian Dornieden | Future Ocean - Kiel | 19.03.2013 Slide 17

Test objectives

■ Recover a defined quantity of

manganese nodules from the

seabed

■ Test of relevant technical

components of the deep sea

mining system

■ Assessment of environmental

impacts

9 – 14 years until start of operations

Target Generation

& Access

Recon-

naisance

Deposit

Assess-

ment

Resource

Definition

Resource

Definition

Ore

Reserve

Desktop Con-

ceptual

Pre-Fea-

sability Feasability

Imple-

mentation

Commisio-

ning

Operation Closure Project Phase

Exploration Phase

2-4 years 2-3 years 2,5-4 years 2,5-3 years Source: based on

Aurumar website

Test scenario

■ Deployment of crawler and buffer

on the sea bed with an

appropriate flexible interface

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Thank you for your attention!

BGR

ecological economical sustainable

Opportunities for a German marine mineral resources industry



Slide 18

© BGR © Aker Wirth

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Disclaimer This Presentation includes and is based, inter alia, on forward-looking information and statements that are subject to risks and

uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ. These statements and this Presentation are based on current expectations,

estimates and projections about global economic conditions, the economic conditions of the regions and industries that are major

markets for Aker Solutions ASA and Aker Solutions ASA’s (including subsidiaries and affiliates) lines of business. These expectations,

estimates and projections are generally identifiable by statements containing words such as “expects”, “believes”, “estimates” or similar

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Slide 19 T&I | Christian Dornieden | Future Ocean - Kiel | 19.03.2013


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Technological and economical challenges of …fileserver.futureocean.org/...manganese_nodule_mining_concept.pdfTechn. & economical challenges of manganese nodule mining Slide 3 Global